Pratibha Sharma

Businesses contribute greatly to our economy by creating jobs, providing our goods and services and building a strong foundation for our community. They require timely, creative and practical solutions for the comprehensive range of issues they face to make strategic decisions necessary for their formation, survival, expansion and transition.

Pratibha’s priority is providing excellent client service by combining business acumen, legal expertise and an emphasis on building relationships. Her focus is on work ethic, perseverance and drive to provide advice that clients can put into action for their business.

Work Highlights

Corporate counsel for world’s leading online retailer

General advice and assistance with various corporate and commercial matters

Square One Insurance Services

Assisted with incorporating the business and subsequent expansion

Developing various contracts including subscription agreements, shareholder agreements and other agreements to support capital raise efforts

Reviewing various business agreements, highlighting potential issues and recommending solutions

Employment-based immigration options and assisting non-Canadians entering the Canadian market

Pratibha provides advice to entrepreneurs, family-owned and operated businesses, medium-sized companies as well as larger national and international companies. Her practice is focused on three general areas:

Start-up phase – assisting with and advising on business formation, organization and structure

Growth and expansion phase – advising on a broad range of day-to-day legal matters including contracts, capitalization, human resources, reorganizations and other corporate and commercial matters

Exit, succession and transition phase – acting for buyers and sellers on business acquisition and sale transactions, mergers and management buy-outs

Pratibha understands commercial considerations and addresses issues with a view to contribute to our clients’ overall business. Pratibha actively volunteers with business- and entrepreneur-based organizations. She has acted as a mentor for various entrepreneurs who need guidance on pitching ideas, navigating the market and learning how business and law converge.

Pratibha understands that when people are selling their business, they are transitioning a lifetime of work and want to ensure it is done in the right way and to the right people. She also understands that when people are buying a business, they are purchasing a tangible ambition and want to ensure that there is strength and longevity. She marries these needs in ways that benefit both parties, such that sellers have their legacy carried on and buyers have a strong business to take over with the people needed for success.

Sale transactions - acted for and advised:

owners of various insurance agencies and services companies in the sale of their interest and business

as part of the transaction team for a leading international supplier of shelter systems for key military, commercial, government and medical applications in the sale of a majority interest of the company

Purchase transactions - acted for and advised:

purchaser of an insurance agency business

long term client in the transportation industry in the acquisition of various businesses

long term client in the health and food industry in various transactions

purchaser in the acquisition of various businesses in the pharmaceutical industry

purchaser of a vineyard in the interior of British Columbia

"Having the right legal advice has been critical to our success. Clark Wilson was selected to be our corporate law firm and we have worked with Pratibha Sharma from the start.
Ms. Sharma has been intimately involved in all aspects of our business, including:

Incorporating the business in British Columbia and registering it in other provinces;

Developing the subscription, shareholder and debenture agreements to support our capital raise efforts;

Reviewing various business agreements, highlighting potential issues and recommending solutions;

Facilitating trademarks in both Canada and the United States; and,

Providing effective counsel and constructive feedback on a wide range of business matters.

Over the years, we have saved hundreds of thousands of dollars because of the legal advice that we received. It is for this reason that we consider Ms. Sharma as her colleagues at Clark Wilson as an extension of the Square One team. And, it is without reservation that I highly recommend both Ms. Sharma and Clark Wilson."

Daniel Mirkovic, President + CEO, Square One Insurance Services

"Pratibha was instrumental in keeping our interests protected throughout a complex and delicate negotiation. Highly engaged and fully cognizant of all the issues, her turn-around on the necessary legal maneuvering was admirable."

Richard Lau, www.lau.com

"Pratibha Sharma acted on our behalf during the sale of our family business. As satisfied customers, we cannot speak highly enough about the stellar service that was provided to us during this difficult process. We felt truly valued as clients and were notably impressed with Pratiba’s attention to detail accompanied by professional acumen. We would recommend Pratibha Sharma to anyone who is contemplating the succession process."

Linda and Andrew McLean, Vancouver Business Owners

"Pratibha Sharma assisted in the complicated sale of our grocery store business. Her in-depth legal knowledge, her hard work and her quick responses ensured the successful sale. We highly recommend her."

Robert and Susan Adams, President and Managing Director, Formally of Bevendale Enterprises dba The Grocery Store, Whistler, BC

"Ms. Sharma provided counsel in the sale of our family business in 2015. The primary document was a Share Purchase Agreement (SPA), plus a number of supplementary documents including a Non-Disclosure Agreement, a Consulting Agreement, and an Escrow Agreement. Each of the documents, particularly the SPA, took a number of negotiated revisions to complete. The final documents were comprehensive and thorough to ensure our interests were well represented. I always felt confident of Ms. Sharma’s advice during these negotiations and in the drafting of the various revisions. Communications were always timely and efficient. I was also impressed that when negotiations on the SPA seemed deadlocked, she would take the initiative to get the parties together to work out a resolution, which ultimately resulted in a successful sale. I have no hesitation recommending Ms. Sharma."

Community Commitments

TIE Young Entrepreneur Programs, Mentor to the winning teams in the last two consecutive years in this innovative program developed to empower youth to become the next generation of business and community leaders

Education & Call to Bar

Call to the Bar of British Columbia, 2008

Bachelor of Laws, University of British Columbia, 2007

Bachelor of Arts (Criminology and Business Administration), Simon Fraser University